Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, is a famous Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. At first look, it will take your breath away. The surrounding gardens are meticulously landscaped to inspire calmness and introspection. The above photograph was taken when the leaves were beginning to change to brilliant reds, oranges and golds; a color that match the real gold leafing that covered the top two floors of the temple.
As I snapped a photograph and attempted to enjoy the Golden Pavilion's splendor while tourists pushed pass me, I heard our tour guide tell us: "After the building burned down in the 1950's, it was rebuilt and the gold leaf you see was added. The gold leaf itself cost five million dollars." I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at our guide in disbelief. Everyone else in my group continued on with the tour, satisfied to check off one more landmark on their bucket list, already beginning to talk about what to eat for lunch. I couldn't move from my spot. I stared at that beautiful building. The gold leaf that shone resplendently from the afternoon sun could feed thousands of the hungry people I have met in other parts of the world. It could ensure the education of countless underprivileged children. Five million dollars could build homes for families affected by natural disasters or fight the AIDS epidemic. This was the moment I realized I was no longer a tourist. I was now a traveler. I had entered this site for a history lesson and to see beautiful buildings. I left having a deeper understanding about what really makes life and travel so important: helping the people you meet along the way, so that everyone can have the best life possible. Now, when I think back to all of the wonderful places I have had the opportunity to see, it's not the landmarks I remember. It is the smile of a Ghanaian woman on the street, a hug from an orphan, the laughs of my travel companions, the kisses from my now-fiance, the blessing of a Hindu priest...this is what makes travel so special.
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